Madison times. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1884-1???, 1887-07-16

|
about thirty, dressed in worn but we'll
| cut garments. His features were rather
| handsome, and his smooth-shaven
upper lip showed at times glimpse OF
very good teeth.
''lt Is not our custom to engage any
| one without referL lce," said Mrs.
Madison. I'VE are placing great con-
tidence in you in taking you like this
| into our house."
Il am aware of that, mann" said
Parkins. 81 am very thankful for your
kindness. hope / shall suit you"
Il hope so, said Mrs. Madison. in
tone which limited that the hope was a
forlorn one.
Have you had much experience in
waiting at table?"
Not much. ma am said Parkins
MAY l ask wh-.e you have lived
| last?"
The man hesitated for a moment.
''On a ranch, ma am he said. with
a slight air of being unwilling to pursue
the subject further. Then he added,
with more alacrity,-
81 was servant to a gentleman out in
Wyoming"
An! SAID Mrs. Mad son.
She had rather intended to bully
John Parkins, but somehow the manner
! of the man forbade it.
Having this unaccountabie feeling that
further Investigations would be almost
an impertinence. she proceeded to in
struct the new butler as to what would
hencefOrth be expected of him.
He showed great alacrity, not
according to knowledge. But in spite
of few awkwardnesses on his part he
produced favorable impression on his
new mistress.
Dinner that day passed off remarka-
bly, well, considering that Parkens was
! rather nervous, as servants are apt to
be in new places.
Miss Arden could not help admring
his personal appearance and gentle
manly manner. and Mr.. Madison sat at
the head of the table. smiling blandly
and full of elation at the success of his
last venture.
When dinner was over, Mrs. Madison
entered the pantry to ascertain how
the new functionary was behaving.
She was surprised to see a row of wet
plates standing all round the room,
leaning Their backs against the wall.
"Why, Parkins, what are you doing
with those plates?" she cried.
The Englishman regarded her with
deprecatory air.
Il was letting them dry a bit.
ma am. he said. Have done wrong?"
Certainly" said Mrs. Madison
The towels in the drawer are for dry
the china"
Parkins blushed so brightly that she
really pitied him.
Beg pardon. ma am" he stam-
mered. 'but you see a man gets so
awfullv rough in the West, ma'am
We hadn't many towels on the ranch.
Thank you ma'am I'll use them in
future. I'm very anxious to learn"
The drawing room was henceforth
entertained with the pantry episodes,
of which this was the beginning.
In the main, however, Parkins gave
satisfaction. He was sober, diligent,
almost chIvalrous in his attention to
the wants of the ladies.
The defects in his education as but
Ter were soon remedied. for Mrs. Mad
ison was an excellent housekeeper and
was willing to take untold trouble to
instruct any one who was teachable.
The fresh, handsome face of Parkins.
his respectful and manly bearing. and
his charming English accent, which
was evidently not that of cockney.
ingratiated him with his employers and
even their acquaintance.
Occasionally a new book or paper
was missing from the sitting-room,
and more than once it was found in the
pantry among the rouge-cloths and
plate-powder. In one case the missing
volume was one of Lecky's, and Miss
Arden, who had searched in vain,
asked Parkins if he had seen it. He
confessed to having borrowed it; and
when Sylvia looked ut him with obvi-
Gus surprise, he made some confused
remark about ''bettering his educa-
ton"
''lf he can appreciate that book"
said Miss Arden afterwards to her sis
ter, .'his education dosen't need much
bettering."
One evening, when John Parkins
had been with the Madisons for
month or more, several newl y-arrived
English people dined at the house.
From the moment when the party
sat down at the table. Parkins began TO
behave strangely. He became absent
minded and inattentive. His strongest
desire appeared to be to get out of the
room as quickly as possible.
Mr.. Madison was annoyed, and
thought for q moment that his butler
might be under the influence of liquor;
but after he had watched him for q
minute or two he was convinced that
the man was perfectly sober. though
evidently laboring under great mental
perturbation.
But. as one cannot watch ones but
Ter all the evening, Mr.. Madison's at
tention was soon diverted. and the cir
cumstance passed from his mind.
One day in the early spring letter
came for George Madison from the
British Legation at Washington.
1t requested information in regard
to the whereabouts of Mr.. Cecil Finch.
an English gentleman who was suppos-
ed to be in the United States at that
time. Mr.. Madison replied with polite
brevity that he had never had the pleas
ure of knowing any one of that name.
There he thought the matter would
rest But by return of post came
another letter. which intimated that
the Legation could not take Mr.. Madi-
sons reply as final. for Cecil Finch had
been seen going in and out of Mr..
Madison's house in New York.